The Girl in Question
by Arielle1
Summary: There's more to Dawn then everyone thinks.


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Disclaimer: I do not own these characters. Joss Whedon owns them.

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Author's Note: This is set between seasons six and seven.

The Girl in Question

The desk lamp cast a small pool of light over the books and papers scattered across the ornate antique desk.

Boxes filled with various books were strewn around the room.

Rupert Giles pulled an exceptionally heavy leather bound volume from the box and flipped through the pages.

"Ah _Myths and Legends of the Ancient World_." He said aloud to no one. He snapped the book closed and placed it on the shelf next to _Ancient Runes_.

Giles had just returned to England from Sunnydale, California where he had helped prevent yet another apocalypse. This time it was not a half man, half machine or a hell goddess who had tried to end the world but the Slayers own best friend Willow Rosenberg. She had started using the magicks carelessly and had gotten addicted.

It was not Giles or the Slayer however who had stopped her. It had been the Slayers other best friend Xander Harris. Xander was the only member of the Scooby Gang who possessed no special powers but his love for Willow had stopped her.

Willow had returned to England with Giles to receive help from the Council or Watchers and the Coven. She was to learn to control her powers so that there would not be another apocalypse at her hands.

Giles reached into the box again and found it empty. Most of the books he was unpacking he had brought back with him when he had first returned to England that past September but he had not had a free moment to unpack them until now. A few of the boxes were newer and held things he'd brought back during the last trip to Sunnydale since the Magic Box where they had all been kept was now in ruins.

He walked over to his desk and spotted a box he had just brought back. He hadn't remembered packing the box but he'd assumed one of the Scoobies had packed it for him.

He took a letter opener from his desk and neatly sliced through the tape holding the box closed. Giles frowned as he pulled back the flaps of the box; he didn't recognize any of the things in the box. Nothing except for one book. It was a Watcher's Journal. Just like the ones he wrote in to chronicle the Slayers battles.

He picked up the thin journal and turned it over in his hands, it looked both old and new at the same time. He sat down at his desk and placing the book in the pool of light from the lamp he opened it.

His brows furrowed together as his hazel eyes fell upon the words neatly scrawled across the pages. He removed his glasses and wiped his eyes then put them back on. Surely he was seeing things. The writing could not possibly belong to the person he thought.

Every page contained the same tiny neat handwriting. Giles only knew of one person who wrote this tiny. Himself.

His eyes fell across the name of the Slayer. The names of her friends. The name of her sister.

As he turned the pages one name jumped out at him. _Glory_.

"Glory." He mumbled. His eyes went to the top of the page and he read.

_'Hopefully she will be safe now. There is no doubt in my mind that Buffy will protect her. The monks have assured me that Buffy and Joyce will think she has always been there. Their memories will be altered and it will seem as though nothing has changed. Sadly Joyce will not have much time to spend with her new "daughter" as she will ultimately die soon after. But she will have memories of her._

Buffy should never know the truth about Dawn.

Unless Glory finds a way into the past as well.'

Giles looked up from the Journal. What on earth was this about? The truth about Dawn? The past? His eyes went to the date at the top of the opposite page _May twentieth, 2017._

"Bloody hell." Giles said sitting back in his chair. He stood up quickly and rushed back to the box. He rifled through it; he recognized some of the objects inside it. He couldn't remember where he'd seen them before though. It suddenly hit him like a punch in the face. Glory. These things in the box were things they'd taken from Glory's apartment a year earlier.

Glory was a Hell Goddess who was sent to kind the 'key' to her own dimension. She had been sharing a body with a mortal man named Ben.

Giles picked up the Journal from the desk and flipped to the next page.

_'The monks have informed me that even if Glory finds a way to the past she will not be as strong as she is here. She will also not remember that Dawn is the key to her dimension. I have no doubt in my mind however that she will do whatever she can to find the key. If that happens I hope Buffy protects her with her life. Of course she will have William fighting by her side.'_

William? Who on Earth was William? He continued to read to next paragraph which, was written rather hastily.

_'I fear Glory has found us. Buffy and Willow are trying to subdue her. She knows we have done something with Dawn and she will not rest until she knows. I've sent Xander and Oz to help the girls. William has stayed here incase Glory gets past them. He is the only one strong enough on his own to fight her….'_

The Journal ended there. There was no more. He noticed a few dark stains on the edges of the pages. He walked back around the desk and placed the Journal in the light. The stains seemed to be dried smears of blood.

Glory must have defeated Buffy and the others and reached wherever Giles had been writing.

But who was William? Giles only knew of one William.

He flipped back a few pages and another paragraph caught his attention.

_'According to the Prophecy the only daughter of the Slayer and the Vampire who possesses a soul, given to him as reward for his love of the Slayer, will be the Key. Only her blood will open the gates to the hell dimension once home to the goddess Glorificus. The gates will open when her blood flows and they will close when it flows no more.'_

Vampire with a soul? Angel was the only vampire he knew of with a soul. But Angel's soul had been a curse not a reward. It was then that all the pieces came together. William was the real name of the only other vampire he had known to ever love Buffy. Spike. But Spike didn't have a soul.

Giles knew quite a lot about vampires, as he was a Watcher, and he had never heard of a vampire having a child.

He put down the Journal and lifted the phone from its cradle. He dialed quickly and after a never-ending series of numbers the phone began to ring on the other end.

"Hello Angel Investigations." Came a young woman's voice.

"This is Rupert Giles, may I speak to Wesley please. This is important." He said removing his glasses.

There was a pause on the other end "I'm afraid Wesley doesn't work here anymore."

Wesley didn't work for Angel anymore? What had happened?

"Can I speak with Angel then?" He wiped his eyes on the back of his hand.

Another pause answered him before the girl finally replied "We don't know where Angel is."

"What?" There was only one other person whom Giles knew he could speak with on the matter "Is Cordelia there?"

"We don't know where she is either."

Giles was astounded. How did one lose two complete human beings? Well one human being and one vampire.

"Do you know where I can reach Wesley?" Giles sighed. The girl gave Giles Wesley's home number. He thanked her and hung up then dialed the number.

After a few rings Wesley finally answered "Hello?"

"Wesley! It's Rupert. What is going on?" Giles asked, "Where are Angel and Cordelia?"

"No one knows. They both disappeared a few days ago." He replied.

Giles had no time to inquire more on the subject "Wesley, have you ever heard of a vampire conceiving a child?"

There was silence on the other end before he replied "Yes."

Giles could not believe what he had just heard "Who? How is that possible?"

"Angel. He has a son."

Giles was completely taken off guard. Angel had a son? And none of them knew it?

"Wesley, please explain." He said gripping the phone tightly.

Wesley told him of everything that had happened in the last year concluding with his being fired from Angel Investigations and of Angel and Cordelia's respective disappearances.

"Where is Connor now?" Giles asked.

"Living in the hotel with Fred and Gunn as far as I know." Wesley replied, "Rupert, I'm curious why did you want to know all this?"

Giles was silent. Did he tell Wesley about the Journal? About Dawn and Glory. "I read something and wanted to know if anyone else had ever heard about it."

Wesley could tell Giles wasn't telling the whole truth but he didn't push it "If you need anything else just call."

"Alright. Thank you Wesley." As Giles replaced the phone in it's cradle the was a soft tapping on the doorframe of his study. He turned quickly still clutching the Journal. Willow stood in the doorway.

For the time being Willow was staying with Giles at his house while she received treatment from the Coven.

"Giles, are you alright?" She asked taking a step into the room.

He looks down at the Journal in his hands then up at Willow "We must return to Sunnydale right away."

Willow's eyebrows furrowed "But Giles we just got here a few days ago? What's the emergency?"

"I must inform Buffy about something very urgent." He turned back to the desk and picked up the phone again "And it must be done in person. I will make the arrangements. Go and pack. We'll be leaving as soon as possible."

* * *

Crickets in a near by bush went silent as she passed by. She was alone tonight on her patrol. For the past few nights she had been patrolling with her sister but tonight she was spending the night at her friend's house, which left the Slayer patrolling alone.

Buffy Summers sighed as she reached the middle of the cemetery. For some reason the beginning of the summer was always a slow time for any demonic activity. Not that Buffy and her friends minded one bit. They welcomed this time of the year.

However they never took advantage of this down time. Buffy still went out patrolling just incase some nasty hadn't gotten the message.

She began to whistle as she came upon a familiar crypt. Spike's crypt. Spike, who had been MIA ever since the end of May when he'd attempted to rape Buffy in her home. She'd been extremely glad at first that Spike was gone but now she was starting to get worried. For the past year she had been having an affair with the vampire under the noses of her friends.

"Where are you Spike?" She whispered staring at the door. As much as she hated to admit it to herself she had felt something for him during those month that they were together. She still felt something for him.

She continued walking but was soon alerted by the sound of footsteps nearby. She spun around to find nothing behind her. She listened intently but was only greeted by more chirping crickets.

As she was listening to the crickets two hands clamped down upon her shoulders and spun her around. She was almost eye level with a female vampire.

"Was that you following m…" Buffy didn't get a chance to finish her question as the vampire smashed their foreheads together. Buffy suddenly saw two of the female vampire and as she released her shoulders she fell to the ground. She moaned and put her hand to her forehead "That's gonna leave a mark."

She looked up at the vampire just in time to see someone rush her from behind. The vampire and the new arrival fell to the ground. The vampire burst into dust and ash.

Buffy strained to see who had saved her but her eyesight was still off from the head butt.

In the light from the moon the person's hair shone brightly. He was clad in black and was dusting off the front of his shirt.

"Spike?" She asked as her eyesight began to clear. Spike stood only inches away from her. At the mention of his name he looked down at Buffy then back up at where the vampire had just stood. "Spike where have you been?" She asked as she got to her feet. She took in his appearance, bleached blond hair a mess, black jeans filthy, the sleeve of his black button up shirt was torn, his eyes red rimmed. He was missing his signature leather duster, which he had left at Buffy's.

He didn't make eye contact with her "Had to leave." He seemed to be searching the ground for something. Most likely his stake. "Couldn't stay away any longer though."

A frown spread across Buffy's face "Why did you have to leave?"

She jumped slightly as Spike turned on her "Had to leave. Had to get it back."

Her gaze locked on his eyes. The icy blue orbs always revealed Spike's true emotions even when his face didn't. She saw guilt and sadness in them. "Had to get what back?"

Spike tore his eyes away from her and focused on something over her shoulder. His crypt. Without another word he brushed past her towards the crypt.

She turned and followed a close distance behind him. She watched as he stopped at the door and placed his palms against it. A million questions or more were rushing through Buffy's head. Where had Spike been for a month? Why wasn't he making any sense? Why was he back? What had happened to him while he was away?

Spike glanced over his shoulder at her then pushed the door open. The hinges squealed as the door swung open hitting the wall. It echoed throughout the empty stone mausoleum.

Trash and debris littered the floor; Spike's television laid smashed against a wall, his chair was turned upside down. It seemed as though in Spike's short absence squatters had taken up residence.

Buffy's eyes surveyed the room as Spike walked deeper inside "Looks like something else used this place while you were gone."

When he reached the trap door in the floor at the back of the crypt he yanked it back and stared down into the dark room below. Normally a few candles would have lighted the room or even a lamp but with Spike gone there had been no one to keep it lit.

Spike stood, his eyes scanned the walls for a candle. Buffy watched as he pulled one off the wall then proceeded to light it. The faint candlelight cast long shadows on the walls.

He stood at the edge of the hole in the floor and turned to Buffy "Coming?" Without waiting for her answer he began to descend into the room below.

* * *

On the third ring Xander was jolted from a deep sleep. He reached out blindly for the phone at his bedside.

He clumsily grasped the receiver on the last ring and put it to his ear "Hello." He mumbled.

"For God sakes Xander!" Came a familiar British accent. Xander knew the voice but his brain was still clogged with sleep and couldn't remember whom it belonged to.

He yawned "Who's this?"

"It's Giles, you insufferable twit!"

Xander's eyes shot open. He glanced at the clock beside his bed; the glowing red numbers revealed it was way past midnight. He reached out for his lamp. Something must be wrong if Giles was calling him at this time. "Sorry Giles. Had a rough day. What's wrong? Is it Willow? Is she ok?"

The older man on the other line sighed "Willow is fine. Where is Buffy and Dawn? There is no answer." Giles' voice sounded faint and far away.

Xander thought for a moment "Uh Dawn is over Janice's house tonight. Buffy must still be out patrolling. Why what's the matter?"

"Willow and I are on our way back to Sunnydale. I've come across something Buffy must know about urgently." Giles told him, "Can you be at the airport at eight thirty?"

Xander was now sitting fully alert "Yeah. Yeah sure. No problem. Is this something big?"

"Just make sure you're there." The line went dead.

He stared at the buzzing receiver for a moment before placing it back in its cradle. What could be so important that Giles couldn't tell Buffy over the phone? Xander set his alarm clock so we would have plenty of time to get to the airport. He then lay back down and was asleep in moments.

* * *

A couple miles away Buffy was entering her house. The house was dark and empty; darker somehow then Spike's crypt.

After surveying the lower part of the crypt Buffy had left. She couldn't stay in that place a moment longer.

She still had no clue where Spike had been or why he was acting the way he was. She had tried to ask him again but nothing he said made any sense to her.

She made her way up the steps to her room without turning on a light. She'd done this many times in the past and knew where every step or turn was by heart. As she stepped into her room she flicked on the light. The harsh light flooded the room and hurt her eyes. She was the fourth person to occupy this room. Since she'd moved into the house three other people had slept in this room. First it had been her mother, then it had been Willow and Tara, and now herself.

Her weapons trunk lay at the end of the bed. She dropped to her knees before it. The well oiled hinged made no sound as she lifted the lid. Lying atop the various weapons was Spike's duster. After the attempted rape Spike had fled the Summers' home so quickly he'd left it lying over the banister. Buffy couldn't bring herself to get rid of it so she'd put it in her trunk.

She lifted it out of the trunk and got to her feet. In the morning she would return it to him. She'd decided to also bring him a container of pig's blood; she was sure he hadn't fed on anything in quite sometime. Spike couldn't even feed on rats without setting off the chip in his head. How he'd survived the past month was beyond her.

Buffy closed the trunk and placed the jacket on top. She quickly changed, turned off the light and got into bed.

Why did she care so much about Spike's whereabouts? Why was it eating away at her? The need to know. Bright and early the next morning she would go back and try to get some answers out of him.

* * *

His eyes searched the mass of people as him and Willow exited the gate into the Sunnydale Airport.

Where was Xander? He hadn't meant to be quite so harsh with him on the phone the night before but he hadn't been thinking clearly after getting no answer at the Summers' residence.

"There he is." Willow said pointing past a family of six. Xander stood with his hands shoved into his pockets a few feet from the gate. They made their way quickly past the family to him.

"We have to get to Buffy's right away." Giles said after greeting Xander.

He nodded and wrapped his arm around Willow's shoulders as Giles walked ahead of them "Do you have any idea what this is about?"

She shook her head "He hasn't told me a thing."

When they arrived at Buffy's house they found that the Slayer wasn't at home.

"Where can she be at this hour?" Giles asked glancing at his watch, which read nine thirty.

Xander shrugged "Maybe she went to the Magic Box." The magic shop, which Giles had co-owned along with Anya Emerson, still stood partially. Anya was still in the process of clearing out the rest of the items that Giles hadn't taken with him.

Giles found a scrap of paper on the desk in Buffy's living room and scrawled a short note. _Come to the shop right away. Giles. _As they left he taped the note to the front door where she was sure to see it.

* * *

As she stepped out of the butchers, bag of pig's blood in hand she frowned as she noticed the three people entering the closed magic shop.

It was Xander accompanied by Giles and Willow. Surely she must be seeing things. Giles and Willow were in England. Perhaps she'd gotten a concussion when her and the vampire had butted heads.

She had to be sure though. Buffy ran down the street and practically collided with the closed door. She pushed it open so quickly that the bell above it was torn off the wall. Standing amongst the remaining debris strewn around the shop were Xander, Anya, Giles and Willow.

The bag containing both the container of blood and the jacket fell limply at her side as she stared into the room. "What…"

Giles turned his attention to her as she stood in the doorway. "Buffy." He advanced towards her "Thank goodness you're here."

She took another step into the shop "Giles? What are you doing here? Is something wrong?"

"Yes. Well no. Nothing imminent." He said as she stared at him, "Just something you must know."

"Something you couldn't tell me over the phone?" She asked.

He shook his head "This is not something I could have relayed over the phone. Lets have a seat." They sat down around what was left of the round research table. Giles pulled the Journal from one of his bags and placed it on the table.

"What's that?" Xander asked staring at the book.

Anya's eyes narrowed to slits "Looks like a Watcher's Journal to me."

"Yes." Giles said, "Yes it is. I found it among the things I brought back with me. However it was in a box of things we recovered from Glory's…"

Buffy's eyes widened at the name "Glory! What does this have to do with her?"

"Let me explain. As I was saying I found it in a box of things we took from Glory's apartment after you died. I had forgotten about the box and inadvertently taken it back to England with me. I immediately recognized my handwriting." He opened the journal to a page he had book marked.

Willow's eyebrows furrowed "Glory had one of your journals? How would she have gotten it?"

"Well technically this isn't _my_ journal." Giles said.

Xander stared at him "I think I speak for everyone when I say huh?"

Giles removed his glasses and placed them on the table "This is a journal from my future self." The scoobies stared at him.

"What? How is that possible?" Willow asked.

"Glory used it to find out where the key was and how to get here." He told them.

Xander put his hands up in front of him "Woah wait a second! What would your future journal have to say about Dawn?"

"Glory was from the future?" Anya asked.

Nothing Giles was saying made any sense to Buffy "Giles, explain. Please."

He glanced across the table at Buffy then to the journal "There is…will be a prophecy. According to this prophecy the daughter of the Slayer and the Vampire with a soul given to him.."

"Angel!" Buffy said, "What? How?"

Giles shook his head "No. Not Angel."

"If not Angel then who?" If Angel wasn't the vampire the prophecy referred to then who?

"Buffy has a daughter?" Willow asked, "Who?"

Giles ran a hand over his face as he was bombarded with questions. The best thing for him to do was give specifics and explain later. Otherwise they would be there forever. "If you would all just shut up I will explain!" The four Scoobies stopped talking at once and waited. "According to this prophecy Dawn is Buffy's daughter. The prophecy says that the daughter of The Slayer and The Vampire with a soul, which was given to him as a reward for his love of the slayer will be the key." He hesitated. His eyes met Buffy's "Spike is that vampire."

Her hazel eyes grew wide. She jumped to her feet, knocking over her chair "What? That's not possible!"

"Buffy, it's all right here." Giles said as Buffy backed away from the table.

She shook her head "No. Spike doesn't have a soul. It's a lie."

Giles stood up slowly "It's not. It's written clearly in my journal."

"Giles, how?" Willow asked, "I thought vampires couldn't…."

"It's a trick. A trick Glory set up incase her attempts to get the…to get Dawn didn't work." Buffy said, "How could you fall for it?"

"Buffy, it's not a trick. It's the truth. And if the date in this journal is correct then you will…"

Buffy didn't want to hear anymore, she put her hands over her ears "No!" She shouted. "It's not true!"

"It is true. All of it. Buffy, please sit. There's more you must know." Giles took on a fatherly tone.

She shook her head again and moved quickly to the door where she'd left her bag "I have to go. I can't listen to anymore of this!" She picked up her bag and swiftly left the magic shop.

Giles sat down heavily; he lowered his head to his hands.

"Giles, how this possible?" Anya asked, "I've been a demon for over one thousand years and I've never heard of a vampire having a baby. Other demons sure but not vampires."

He looked up at her then at Xander and Willow. "I don't know. But Dawn is not the only offspring from a vampire."

"What? This has happened before?" Willow asked. She couldn't believe that in all the years they'd been fighting vampire and demons they'd never heard of this.

Giles took a deep breath and placed his glasses on his nose "Yes, well it happened very recently. Angel and Darla have a son."

Xander and Willow both wore the same shocked expressions.

"Darla is dead!" Willow exclaimed, "Angel killed her. How do they have a kid?"

Giles told them of his conversation with Wesley.

Xander blinked and shook his head "And he's completely human?"

"Just as Dawn is. But he does possess most of Angel's superhuman abilities. Speed, agility, hearing. Wesley says he is a superb fighter."

"But Dawn is the total opposite of Buffy." Anya stated "And Spike for that matter."

"You never told us how Glory got your journal. And how it got here." Xander stared at the journal under Giles' fingers.

"Apparently in 2017…that's when my future self writes in this journal…Glory finds out Dawn is the key. We send her here." He motioned around the table "Glory finds out. Buffy and Willow are the first line of defense when Glory comes after us." He glanced down at the page he had book marked "I send Xander and Oz to help."

Willow had been looking down at the table; but when she'd heard that name she looked up "Oz?"

Giles nodded "Will…Spike stays with me. Glory gets past Buffy and the others and must get past Spike. I don't know what happens after that as this was the last entry in the journal." He pushed the book into the middle of the table for the others to see.

Anya and Willow gasped in unison at the sight of the dried blood on the page. Xander balled is hands into tight fists.

"Somehow she gets away with the journal. Finds out what we did with Dawn and goes to the monks and gets sent here." Giles said as Willow reached across the table for the journal.

Willow's eyes scanned the wrinkled pages "But Glory didn't know what the key looked like. If she had this journal wouldn't she have known?"

"I suspect that when she reborn inside of Ben her mind was warped and she forgot about the journal." He watched as Willow leafed through the journal.

She looked at the date scrawled at the top of the pages then looked up at Giles "If this is correct then according to this date Buffy will have…"

Giles knew where Willow was going "I know."

"What?" Xander asked looking from Giles to Willow then back.

Anya calculated the date he had given them with the current date "Buffy will have to conceive Dawn before the end of this week."

Xander's eyes widened "But Spike doesn't have a soul. How could that possibly happen?"

"Wait a minute!" Willow looked up from the journal again "We know that Glory wouldn't remember who the key was when she was sent here. But does Dawn remember anything?"

"Does Dawn remember what?" They all turned their attention to the door. Dawn was standing in the doorway.

* * *

Buffy walked swiftly through the cemetery towards Spike's crypt. She couldn't believe that Giles had come all the way back to Sunnydale to tell her something that obviously wasn't true. How could he have even thought it was true? The journal had come from Glory's after all. Glory was capable of anything. There was no way Dawn was her and Spike's daughter from the future. No way. There was only one vampire who possessed a soul and that was Angel.

She stopped at the door of Spike's crypt; now that she was there she didn't want to go in. It had been the same during their brief fling. She would go out patrolling but always end up at Spike's door. Once she got there she would tell herself she wasn't going in but she always did. And this time was no exception.

She pushed the door open and stepped into the crypt closing the door behind her quickly to shut out the sun. The room was empty. The trash and debris had been cleaned up and Spike's chair was sitting upright in its original place.

"Spike?" She called softly as she placed her bag on the chair. Her footsteps echoed faintly as she walked through the room to the door leading into the lower room. As she reached the end of the opening Spike's head emerged from the lower room.

Buffy was taken aback by his appearance once again. His hair smoothed back, his clothes neat and clean, his eyes clear and no longer red rimmed.

He'd known she was there the moment she came in. He may have been gone for a month but he still knew her scent.

"Kind of early for you to be coming round, isn't it?" He said as he climbed the steps.

She couldn't believe what she was hearing and seeing. A little over twelve hours Spike was disheveled and made no sense when he spoke.

Anger flashed in Buffy's eyes "Oh my god! Hoe could I be so gullible? After everything you've put me through!"

Spike frowned "Did you get hit harder then I thought last night?" he advanced towards her.

Buffy turned and headed for the door "I can't believe I fell for your sympathy act! I don't need this right now!" Her foot was poised above the first step to the door when Spike grabbed her arm and spun her around.

"Buffy! Stop." He gripped her arms above the elbows and held her in place.

She stopped and stared up into his eyes; her anger subsided. She pulled out of his grasp and took a step back "Spike, what is going on?"

He stared her down then turned towards his chair "What's this?" he peered inside the bag. He lifted the duster out "Thought you would have burned this."

She stepped up behind him "I…I thought about it." She walked around him and pulled the container of blood from the bag "I also thought you might be kinda hungry."

His eyes traveled from her face, down to the container and back to her face "Thanks." He mumbled taking the container from her, their fingers touching.

Buffy balled up the plastic bag and sat down as Spike tossed his jacket onto one of the two stone tombs. She watched as he pulled the lid off the container and took a sip of the dark blood. "Where have you been?"

Spike replaced the lid and placed the container on a nearby end table. He glanced through the barred window near him "I couldn't stay here. Not after what I'd done." He extended his hand into the ray of light shining through the window. He watched as the flesh began to smoke then quickly pulled it back.

"What you tried to do." Buffy retorted.

He turned to her, she thought she saw sorrow and guilt in his eyes "It didn't matter. I tried to hurt you." He turned away from her again "I couldn't live with what I'd tried to do. I left that night."

"Where'd you go?" She asked.

"I'd heard of a demon in Africa." He turned his whole body towards her "I went to him. There were trials. Easy enough."

Buffy's eyebrows furrowed "But what did you go to this demon for?" she rose from her seat.

Spike frowned suddenly. Why was he telling her all this? What did he expect her to say when he told her about his soul? Did he expect her to be happy? How could she be? He'd tried to rape her. "What do you care?"

"Excuse me?" She snapped and rose quickly from her seat "You disappeared for a month! No one knew where you were! You could have been dead."

Spike scoffed "I am dead! Unless you didn't bloody notice."

She glared at him "The blowing in the wind dusty kind of dead."

"Like you would even care if I was a soddin' pile of dust!" He spat.

Buffy was fuming "This was a bad idea! I should have known I wasn't going to get any answers out of you. I probably would have gotten more answers last night when you were talking crazy!" she headed for the door again.

"Bollocks." Spike looked at the ceiling then at her retreating back, "Buffy wait!"

She turned and folded her arms across her chest "What?"

"I went there for you!" He said, "Are you bloody satisfied?"

"What? You went to a demon about me?" Her face contorted in anger "What did you do? Think you could get it to kill me?"

"No. I went to it so you could get what you deserve." Spike crossed the few feet between them. They stood inches apart now.

"What I deserve? And what exactly would that be?" She wanted nothing more then to feel her fist against the fragile cartilage of Spike's nose.

Spike's eyes were fixed on Buffy's; anger flared in her large hazel eyes "I went there to get something back."

"And what was that?" She looked him straight in the eyes.

A silence fell over the crypt. What would she do once she found out he'd gotten his soul back? What did he expect her to do?

Buffy sighed "Spike, I don't have all day!" He stared at her, his mouth trying to form the words "Fine! When you want to tell me come and find me." She turned to leave for the third time.

"My soul!"

Her fingers stiffened around the door handle. Had she just heard him correctly? Had Spike just told her that he had a soul? A heavy silence settled upon them. Buffy was aware of his eyes on her back. He was waiting for her to say something. Anything.

Spike stepped towards her as she pulled the door open; sunlight flooded the crypt. He moved away quickly as Buffy took off into the cemetery leaving the door wide open behind her.

* * *

Dawn closed the door of the magic shop as she descended the two steps into the shop "What should I remember?"

"Silly Dawnie, we weren't talking about you." A grin spread across Anya's face as the younger girl approached the table.

Xander nodded "Yeah. Willow asked if the swan remembered! You know the ugly duckling. When it became a swan did it remember being teased by the other ducks."

Dawn frowned as Giles shot Xander a dumbfounded look "Ok if you say so." Dawn glanced towards the table and spotted the journal. "What's that?" Something about the thin book was familiar.

"Oh just one of Giles' old Watcher's Journals." Willow closed the book quickly and folded her arms on top of it.

Giles fixed his glasses on his nose "What are you doing here? If I might ask."

Dawn took a seat next to Xander and tried peering under Willow's arms at the book then looked up at Giles "I saw the note on the door when I got home. I wanted to come and see if you were really here." She looked from Giles to Willow "What's up? Thought you were doing the whole magick detox thing."

"Oh well I was. But then Giles…" Willow trailed off; she didn't have a single excuse as to why her and Giles were in Sunnydale.

"I forgot some volumes here which are part of my personal collection." Giles lied "I don't trust them to be sent over seas by the ruddy post office. So I came to get them myself."

Dawn nodded "Ok but why did Willow come too?"

She chewed her bottom lip as she looked from Giles to Dawn "I…"

"It doesn't really matter does it?" Xander put on his best cheesy grin "All that matters is we're all together. One big Scooby Gang!"

Dawn raised an arched eyebrow "I suppose."

Xander clapped his hands together and looked at each of his friends "Good. Why don't we…"

"What were you guys talking about?" Dawn interrupted Xander. She glanced at the journal Willow still covered with her hands.

Anya smiled "We told you. Swans." A silence fell over the room. Moments later it was shattered when the door flew open and slammed into the wall. They all looked up to see Buffy standing in the doorway.

"How did you know!" She exclaimed advancing into the room, "How could you have possibly known?"

Giles moved from his seat towards her "Buffy, what are you talking about?"

"Spike! How did you know?" She asked, "Is this all some sick joke?"

"Spike's back?" Dawn asked turning to look at her sister.

Buffy either ignored her or she hadn't realized she was there "What's going on?"

Giles placed his hands lightly on her shoulders "Lets go in the back." He lowered his voice for only her to hear.

She was the worry in his eyes and silently agreed. Giles led her into what had once been her training room.

She ran a shaky hand through her hair as she stared at the brick wall then turned sharply to Giles "Spike has a soul! He went to Africa. After what he tried to do to me. He wanted me to get what I deserved." The words flooded out of her before she could think, "I don't understand! How could be get a soul? Giles, how?" Her eyes pleaded for him to give her and answer.

"Did you ask him?" He asked taking a seat on the arm of the leather sofa.

She shook her head "I ran. He told me he had a soul and I ran. Giles what does this mean?" She covered her face with her hands "God, I'm so confused." She lowered herself on the couch.

Giles put a comforting hand on her shoulder "Buffy, you have to go back to him. He's the only one who can give you the answers you want. The answers you need."

She took a deep breath and looked up at him "Is that journal real? Is what's written in it true?"

"As far as I can tell it is. There is no doubt that it's my handwriting." He removed his glasses.

Buffy sighed and closed her eyes. "Giles, how is it even possible? Vampires can't have kids." He didn't answer. She turned to face him "Right?"

"Well normally they shouldn't but it has happened…"

"What? Why didn't you ever tell me this? That's something important." Buffy said.

"Forgive me Buffy but I only found out this fact recently myself." He stood up and put one hand in his pocket "It was quite recent actually that this offspring of two vampires was born."

Buffy stared up at him "Giles, quit the suspense. Tell me."

He glanced down at her then at the wall across from them "It's Angel. He and Darla had a son. Last year."

She stared at his back. She couldn't believe what he had just told her. Angel had a son? With Darla? But she was dead. Angel had killed her. "That's impossible."

He turned back to her "Apparently it isn't. I talked to Wesley. I called him when I read the journal. I needed to know if he'd ever heard of vampires conceiving. That's when he informed me of Connor. That's his name. Apparently he takes after Angel entirely except he's completely human. According to Wesley he's about Dawn's age. Maybe a little older."

"Dawn's age? But you said he was born last year. Giles, you're not making any sense." She stood up and stood beside him.

"Oh yes well he was kidnapped and taken to another dimension where time moved differently then here. To him he was there for years but to Angel and the others he was only gone a few weeks." Giles placed his glasses on his nose.

Buffy shook her head vigorously "I need to call Angel. I need to hear this from him." She began walking towards the door.

"You can't do that Buffy." She stopped and turned back to him waiting for a reason "No one knows where Angel is. According to his partners both him and Cordelia have been missing for the better part of a month."

Her hands went to her temples "This is too much." She muttered "Too much. Too fast. Spike has a soul. Angel has a son. Angel is _missing_. And Dawn…Dawn!" Buffy looked up at Giles "Does she know? Did you tell her?"

Giles shook his head "No. We don't know if she knows. Glory didn't remember she was the key. She might not remember she's your…your daughter."

* * *

Dawn glanced at Willow. Her dark red hair obscured her face as she studied the contents of the book in front of her. Her eyes darted to Xander and Anya; they were talking in hushed tones behind what was left of the counter. Every few minutes they would glance her way.

Something was up. Something that definitely had to do with her. She knew the signs. They'd been through this before. When there was something they didn't want her to know they pretended everything was fine. They did a lousy job of it though.

Whatever it was it had something to do with the book Willow was reading. Dawn glanced over once more and narrowed her eyes to try and read the tiny font from across the table. But it was no use; the handwriting was too small for her to read from the distance.

"Hey Will."

She looked up quickly "Yeah Dawnie?" she smiled at the younger girl.

"What's in the book? It's one of Giles' journals right? When's it from? Like is it a recent one? Or is it an old one from when Buffy first became the Slayer." She asked.

"Oh uh it has some stuff on magicks." She surprised herself with how easily the lie rolled off her tongue.

Dawn nodded "Uh huh." She chewed her lower lip. She had to find out what was in that journal. She had to find out what it had to do with her. Her eyes went to the training room door. Buffy and Giles had been in there for quite some time. What were they talking about? What had Buffy been raving about when she'd come in? Was Spike really back? And exactly why did Giles and Willow come back so soon after they'd left? She didn't believe Giles' story about his books for one minute.

She glanced towards Xander and Anya again; when they saw her Anya quickly picked up a duster and started swiping it across the broken shelves behind the counter. She stood up and made her way to them "Anya."

The Vengeance Demon turned quickly to face her "Yes Dawnie!" A toothy grin was plastered across her face.

"Um is there anything I can do?" She asked as Xander sighed and placed a hand over his eyes.

Anya thought for a moment "Yes. There's still some things that need to be packed away behind Willow." She crouched down behind the counter then reappeared with a cardboard box. Her smiled widened as Dawn reached for the box.

As she turned her back she could hear Xander say something to Anya under his breath. She stood for a moment staring at Willow who was still hunched over the journal. This was her opportunity to see what was in it. She would be working directly behind her. She walked casually around the table and set the box down on the bench beside the Witch who was so enthralled by what she was reading hadn't noticed.

She busied herself with making it look like she was actually cleaning; she picked up bits of paper and splintered pieces of wood, which used to be shelves. As she placed a couple planks of wood into the box she peered over Willow's shoulder cautiously.

Dawn's heart sped up as her eyes fell upon the pages _'Our best chance is to send Dawn to the past. She should be safe there.'_

"Oh my god." She breathed the words but not low enough, Willow had heard her and turned in her seat to look up and her.

"Dawnie, we were going to tell you." She stood up as Anya and Xander both reached the table.

The younger girl was shaking her head when Buffy and Giles came back into the shop.

"What happened?" Buffy's eyes darted from Willow to Dawn.

Willow turned to her "She read over my shoulder."

"Oh Dawn." Buffy advanced towards her sister.

She put her hands out to keep Buffy from getting closer "No. You don't have to act that way." She met her eyes and lowered her voice "I know Buffy. I've always known."

Silence fell over the shop as they each took a few minutes for the information to process.

"Dawn, you know?" Giles stared at the girl "You knew Glory was looking for you the whole time?"

She nodded "I did. I couldn't say anything. She didn't know what she was looking for so it didn't seem important."

"But why didn't you tell us afterwards?" Buffy asked.

"Like you would have believed me." Dawn scoffed, "Plus when was I supposed to tell you? When you were dead? When you were avoiding us? Or when Willow was trying to destroy the world? Take your pick."

Dawn's words stung more then just Buffy. What she said was true; chances were if she had come up to them and told them who she really was they wouldn't have believed her. Most likely they would have been too busy to even listen to her.

"Dawn, I'm so sorry." Buffy made an attempt to put her hands on her shoulders but the younger girl moved away from her.

"This is very important Dawn." Giles stood behind Buffy "You have to tell us everything."

She shrugged "What is there to tell you? Don't you already know everything? I'm the key. Always have been. Don't know why. Buffy is my mother and Wi…Spike is my father. Glory was after me. You all sent me here. So Buffy would protect me. The monks made you all think I was Buffy's sister. Is there anything else?"

Giles took off his glasses "No I believe there isn't."

Buffy surveyed her carefully. Why hadn't she ever noticed it before? All the similarities. Their eyes were the same eyes. Large and expressive.

"Dawn…" her voice barely a whisper.

She chewed her bottom lip "Isn't there somebody you need to talk to?"

Spike. She had to tell him. He needed to know. She also owed him an explanation for her hasty exit.

Buffy nodded "I do."

"Buff, are you sure that's a good idea?" Xander asked, "I mean shouldn't we wait?"

"Xander's right." Anya nodded.

"I'm afraid I must agree with him." Giles stated, "It may be best if we waited until we're positive."

Buffy turned to them "He has to know. Plus you told me you were positive."

Giles looked from to Dawn then back to Buffy "If you believe telling him is the best thing then go."

Buffy nodded then turned to Dawn "I'll be back." She quickly left the shop.

"She won't be back tonight." Willow said as the door closed behind her.

Xander frowned "What makes you say that?"

Willow took a deep breath "While you two were over there gossiping I did my research."

"I'm afraid I don't understand." Giles said.

"Remember how I said that if this is true then Dawn would be conceived before the end of the week? Well I calculated her birthday with the dates in the journal and the current date. It's tonight. According to my calculations tonight Buffy will become pregnant." She glanced at Dawn then back to Giles.

* * *

The sun began to set as she reached the cemetery. She'd spent longer at the magic shop then she'd thought.

How was she going to tell him? What would she tell him? 'Hi Spike, ya know my sister? Well guess what? She's really our daughter from the future.' That would go really well.

Why did strange stuff like this happen? That was easy. Because she was the Slayer. The Chosen One. The one girl chosen to protect.

How had it even happened? How had her and Spike ended up together? She knew he loved her. She had no doubt that he did. But was it real love? And yes she cared for him. Somehow she had come to care for him. She had feelings for him. But that didn't mean she loved him. Did it?

She stopped dead in her tracks as she reached the crypt. Her eyes swept over the door before putting her hands against it and pushing slowly.

"Spike?" Her voice was low as she hesitantly entered the room. Candles lit the empty stone interior. She closed the door soundlessly behind her and slowly made her way to the back of the crypt.

Buffy took each step carefully as if she were walking into a dark basement for the first time. But this wasn't the first time she'd been there. Far from it. She's been down there more times then she could count.

As she reached the bottom step entered the dimly lit lower room of the crypt. Candles had been placed in various parts of the room. Spike's bed lay in the center of the room. Everything down here seemed to be in the same shape it had been last time she'd been there. Apparently whoever had used the crypt while Spike was gone hadn't touched it.

Spike was not down there. Where was he?

She walked to his bed and ran her hand over the sheets. As her fingers touched the soft material memories flooded her mind. She'd been one of the occupants of that bed many times.

The mattress dipped as she sat down. Her eyes became moist as she remembered the last time she'd been down there. She had come to break it off with Spike. She could see the hurt in his eyes as she relived that moment.

'I'm using you. I can't love you. I'm just... being weak, and selfish...' She heard the words clearly in her head as if she were speaking them.

Had she been using him? Had she told herself that to deny her true feelings?

'I have to be strong about this. I'm sorry...William.'

"William." She whispered the name. She'd used his human name. She hadn't even realized it until she'd left. She was suddenly aware of tears rolling down her cheeks.

"What are you doing here?" Spike stepped out of a dark tunnel.

Buffy stood up and wiped her eyes hoping he hadn't seen her crying "Spike."

"Yeah that's me." He said moving into the room, "Now answer my question."

"Why?" She asked.

"Because it's trespassing." He stated.

She shook her head "No. Why did you think you needed a soul?"

He stared at her "Because it's what you deserve. You deserve a man. Not a monster." He turned away from her "I thought that if I had a soul you could finally love me. Love me the way I love you."

"Why do you love me Spike?" She asked, "Why? You're a vampire. I'm the Slayer. We're not supposed to fall in love."

He glanced over his shoulder at her "I know that." He turned away from her "I don't know why. But I do. I love you. A…and I'm sorry."

She heard the slight quiver in his voice. She knew he regretted what he'd tried to do to her. Knew he felt the guilt over it.

"I can't get rid of these feelings. I can't turn them off. I've never felt this way before." He turned to her, tears threatening to spill down his cheeks "And it scares me. I'm not supposed to feel this way. But I do. And it's because of you." His hand reached out and touched Buffy's cheek "You make me feel this way. And I wanted you to feel what I feel."

She closed her eyes as his hand cupped her cheek. She swallowed past the lump in her throat "I've been lying to myself and you." Her eyes opened and fixed on Spike's "I think I do love you. I didn't want to admit it because I thought you were the one thing I hated. You were the opposite of Angel." He pulled his hand back slightly at the name "But I don't want Angel. Not anymore. He was my past. I can't go back."

"Neither can I. I can't change the things I've done. No matter how hard I wish I could." He said.

She nodded "I know that. I believe that. You've changed Spike. You're not the same creature who wanted to kill me. And I don't think it's just because of your chip. I believe that you really do love me. And I can finally say without any disgust or self-hatred that I love you. You were there for my friends when I wasn't. You were there for me. Maybe now we can be there for each other."

Spike tried to blink back the tears. He never thought he'd see the day when Buffy would admit her true feelings. He didn't know what had changed but he didn't care.

Buffy took a step closer to him, her hand on his cheek, her thumb wiping away stray tears. "I love you…William." The name was barely a whisper as their lips met. Her lips warm and soft against his. Her arms wrapped around his neck. His on her hips. He held her close.

This kiss was different then all the others. The other kisses had been hurried with no intent on savoring them. This kiss was slow and passionate.

Buffy's hands slipped under his jacket, it slipped off his shoulders. He took his hands away from her long enough to drop the jacket to the floor.

Spike felt her heart beating against her chest. Against his. He could hear her heart beat quickening. The only sounds to reach his ears came from her. Her heart. Her breathing.

They moved as one towards the bed. The mattress dipped as they laid down.

Spike pulled away from her. He stared down into her eyes. She nodded. Their lips met once more.

They removed each other's clothes slowly and carefully. There was no rushing this time. There was no reason to.

That night it wasn't just sex. It was more then that. Unknown to both of them they created something.

* * *

Xander propped his head up on his hand at the dining room table. After a few hours they had moved to Buffy's house. It would be more comfortable then the ruins of the shop.

Willow continued to study the journal. Xander and Anya sat in the dining room. Dawn was in her room. Giles was in the living room searching through various books.

"Giles, there's something I don't understand." Willow said placing the journal in her lap; "If Dawn was sent here then won't the future be different? I mean how are we able to read about a future that shouldn't have happen?"

Giles shook his head "I wish I knew. This baffles even me."

"What if Buffy does become pregnant tonight? What do we do about Dawn?" She asked, "I mean we can't have two Dawn's."

He took a deep breath "I've been thinking the same thing."

"Guys are we just supposed to hang around and wait?" Xander and Anya appeared in the doorway.

"Actually maybe you and Anya should go home." Willow said, "I mean there's not much either of you can do tonight."

Giles nodded "I agree. Both of you go home and get some sleep."

"Alright see ya tomorrow." Xander held the door for Anya "Come on Ahn, I'll drive ya home."

Once they had left Willow looked back to Giles "You were saying."

"Yes right. I've been thinking the same thing ever since Buffy left this evening." Giles told her "If Buffy does become pregnant tonight then we may have to figure out a way to send Dawn back to the future. Even if that future isn't her own."

* * *

Dawn sat quietly at the top of the steps; she hugged her knees to her chest. She'd always known that eventually she would have to return to her own time. But she hadn't realized how soon that would be.

"Even if that future isn't her own." Giles' voice carried up the stairs.

Even if they could send her back to her own time chances were everyone she loved was dead. From the sounds of the last journal entry Glory had infiltrated their headquarters after she'd been sent away and had gotten past every one of The Scoobies. The only way that would have happened was if she'd killed them. At least Giles would have been killed; it was evident by the blood on the last pages.

If she were sent back would there still be two Dawns? Her and the new Dawn of the future? The one who hadn't been sent away? In this future there would be no reason to send her to the past. Glory wouldn't be a threat.

How could they possibly send her back?

* * *

Buffy's eyes shot open; she scanned her surroundings. She felt strong arms around her waist. Spike's cool skin pressed against her warm flesh.

For once she had no intention of leaving. No desire to get as far away from Spike as she could. For once she wanted to lie in his arms for as long as she could.

She closed her eyes and tried to will herself back to sleep. Just as she was drifting back to sleep a strange feeling washed over her. The feeling she always got when things were about to change. She had felt it before when she'd moved to Sunnydale, when she'd started college, when her mother had died. Every time she'd gotten this feeling her life had changed drastically.

It suddenly occurred to her the reason she had come to see Spike the night before. She hadn't come to tell him she loved him. She had come to tell him about Dawn. That Dawn was their daughter.

She sat up; breaking the hold Spike's arms had on her waist. She placed a hand on his shoulder and shook him lightly "Spike."

He rolled onto his back "Yeah." His voice clogged with sleep, his eyes closed.

"Spike wake up." She said.

His eyelids slid back to reveal clear blue eyes; they stared up at Buffy "Morning, Luv." His lips curled up into a smile then immediately turned to a frown as he noted her less then enthusiastic look "What's wrong?"

She swallowed past the lump forming in her throat "Spike, there's something very important I have to tell you. It concerns Dawn."

He sat up; his attention fully on what she had to say "Is the Nibblet okay?"

Buffy nodded "She's fine. I only found this out yesterday. I didn't even believe it at first. Not until after I came here the first time."

"Buffy, you're rambling." He placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

She clutched the sheets above her chest and nodded "Ok. Dawn is really from the future." She watched as lines etched Spike's forehead "She's not really my sister."

"Well I know that. We all know that." He said.

She shook her head "There's more. She's not really my sister; but my daughter." She looked directly into his eyes "Our daughter."

Spike's eyes grew so wide Buffy thought they were going to fall out of his head "Are you bloody kidding me? Vampires can't have kids. We're bleedin' sterile."

"Any other day I would have agreed with you. But not after everything I found out yesterday." She said, "Spike, Angel has a son."

His jaw dropped "He…a son? How? We can't…"

"I don't know. Somehow him and Darla…"

"Darla!" His brain worked backwards suddenly to the last time he'd seen Drusilla. "That's who she was talking about."

Buffy didn't understand "What are you talking about?"

He looked at her "Last time Dru was here she was babbling on about her grandmother being her daughter. I paid no attention since she never made any sense. But she was talking about Darla. It had to be. I still don't understand the daughter part."

Buffy shrugged "I don't know anything about that. But somehow Angel and Darla had a son."

"But how is Dawn our…daughter?" he asked, "I don't understand."

"There's a prophecy. It says that the daughter of The Slayer and the Vampire with a soul, rewarded to him for his love of the Slayer, will be the key. Dawn is the key." Buffy explained.

"How do you know this?" He asked.

She told him about the journal Giles had found and about Glory.

He ran a hand through his hair "Wow." His eyebrows knit together as he thought "That could explain why I've always felt so close to the Nibblet. Why I've always felt the need to protect her." He looked up at Buffy "Does she know?"

Buffy nodded "She has ever since she came here."

"She knows you're here."

She nodded again.

"I should go see her." He started to get out of the bed but was stopped when Buffy placed a hand on his back.

"There's one more thing." She said as he turned to face her. "I think last night I became pregnant."

* * *

The heavy book slipped off her chest and hit the floor as Willow shifted in her sleep. The sound of the door closing jarred her from her sleep. "Buffy?" she sat up as Giles entered the parlor.

"It's only me." He said placing a box of doughnuts on the coffee table.

She wiped the sleep from her eyes then reached for the fallen book and held it on her lap "Any word from Buffy?"

He shook is head "I afraid not. Has Dawn woken up?"

She shrugged "I was asleep myself." For the majority of the evening Willow and Giles had been looking up any spells or talismans that had anything to do with time travel. "Do you think Buffy will want to send her back?" she looked up and Giles.

He sighed "I don't know. It would be best. But no matter what she would have the final word."

Willow nodded "I know." The room fell into silence, which was broken moments later when the front door flew open.

Neither Giles nor Willow spoke as Spike ran in covered by a smoking blanket; Buffy wasn't far behind. She closed the door behind her as he stomped out the blanket.

They stood in the doorway of the parlor awkwardly. Buffy felt like a stranger in her own home as Willow and Giles stared at them silently.

"What? Haven't ya ever seen a vampire with a soul before?" Trust Spike to break the silence.

Giles coughed "Well yes. Yes I have."

"Good. Then let's not stare. Makes me self conscience." He glances up the stairs then back into the room "Where is she?"

"Dawn?" Willow asked.

Spike used all his self-control to keep from replying with a snarky comment. "Yes Dawn."

"She's still asleep." Giles replied, "She went to her room soon after we got here last night."

Buffy nodded "Did she say anything else after I left? Anything at all?"

Giles shook his head "I'm afraid not."

She sunk into the couch next to Willow and spotted the various books strewn across the table "What's with all the books?"

"Well we've been looking for any spells regarding time travel." Willow said clutched at the book in her lap.

She nodded "I see."

"What do you mean?" Spike asked coming up next to Giles "You're not thinking of sending her back."

"It's not that simple." Giles stuffed his hands in his pockets "We can't have two Dawns in this time. However we don't even know what kind of future we'd be sending her to. We don't even know that if we send her to the future that there won't be two Dawns there too."

"You can't send her back to her own future?" Buffy asked, "The one she came from?"

Giles shrugged "I don't even know how we would go about trying that. Anyway chances are we're all dead in that future. You read the journal." He watched as Buffy frowned, he had forgotten that she'd left the magic shop before he'd reached that part of the journal.

Willow reached across the table and handed her the journal. It was open to the last page. They waited as Buffy and Spike each read it.

"This is unbelievable." Spike retorted as his eyes scanned the pages.

"I know. Glory must have been a lot stronger before she sent herself here if she could get past us all." Giles said.

Spike looked up at him "No I was talking about how you call me William."

"Oh." Was all Giles had to say in reply.

Buffy ran her hands through her hair then rested her elbows on her knees "Well we have to do something. Otherwise in nine months there _will_ be two Dawns."

Willow's head snapped in her direction "You're…? Are you sure?"

She nodded "This morning I got a feeling. The same feeling I always get when something is about to change. I'm sure of it."

"We have to tell Dawn." Giles stated.

"I think she already knows." Buffy said. Dawn stood in the hallway watching them.

Spike and Giles both turned to face her. Spike was looking at her as if this was his first time meeting her. He was seeing her in a totally different light. She wasn't just the kid sister of The Slayer anymore. She was the daughter of The Slayer. His daughter. Their daughter.

"Dawn." The name felt different on his tongue as he spoke it.

She smiled as she moved into the room "I know."

Buffy sighed, "So what do we do?"

"I know how the monks sent me here." Dawn told them, "Maybe the same spell can send me back."

"You know it won't be the same future." Giles placed a hand on her shoulder.

She nodded and looked up at him "I know. Before the…before you sent me here you told me that if the time came when the truth came out you would know how to send me back."

"Giles, why couldn't you have been more specific?" Buffy asked.

"I'll keep that in mind next time we have to send someone into the past." He replied tensely. He sighed heavily "I wish I had been more specific."

Willow's eyes suddenly lit up "Maybe Anya knows a way. She's been around longest of all of us. Maybe she knows of a spell or something we can use."

* * *

"I do know of one spell." Anya informed them. After Willow had made the suggestion that maybe she knew of some spells they'd headed for the Magic Box where they knew they would find her. She was still in the process of cleaning up the shop. Before they left they'd also called Xander to have him meet them there as well. "It's not too complicated." She handed Willow a book, which had clearly seen better days.

Willow read through the page quickly "Seems simple enough."

"Anya, can you explain the spell please?" Buffy asked, Dawn sat next to her on one side, Spike on the other.

She nodded "First of all we can't send Dawn to the same year she came from."

"Why not?" Xander asked.

"She came from two thousand seventeen. Right? But we know she's only been here for two years. Last year and this year." She explained.

Giles knew exactly where she was going "We have to send her a year ahead of the year she was sent here."

"Right. So we have to send her to two thousand nineteen." Anya said looking around the table.

"Ok so what happens when we send her there? Will she be the only Dawn?" Buffy asked.

She nodded "Yes. When we send her back she will…I don't wanna say replace but she will…merge with the Dawn that would already be there. She yes there will be on Dawn."

Willow looked up from the book "We should have all these ingredients here." She looked at Anya "Unless…"

"You didn't destroy everything." Anya stated "Extra inventory is in the basement. I'll go get it." she glanced at Buffy and Spike "Could you two help me?" The three of them made their way down into the basement.

Spike began reading labels "So what are we looking for? Eye of Newt?"

"There's something I didn't tell the others." Anya began; Buffy and Spike's full attention was on her "Right now it's not important that they know. But I figured you two should know."

Buffy frowned "What is it? This isn't dangerous is it?"

She shook her head "No. Not at all. What I didn't tell the others is that when Dawn is sent back her memory will be altered."

"Like Glory's?" Buffy asked.

"Not exactly. Dawn won't remember any of this. Her memories will be altered to remember only the things she supposed to. She'll only remember the future we send her to. She won't remember the future that she came from and she won't remember the last two years." Anya explained, "I just thought you should know."

Buffy chewed her bottom lip "Will we remember her?"

"Yes. Our memories will stay intact. Everyone else's thoughts will be altered." She said.

"Why will ours stay they same?" Spike asked, "Why won't ours be messed with?"

"Because ours are the ones that were messed with in the first place. We were made to believe she'd always been here." Anya fell silent.

Buffy looked up at Spike who nodded "Dawn can't know though."

Anya agreed "Of course."

Willow placed the empty container on the table as she finished pouring the sand.

"I'm gonna miss ya Dawnie." Xander said wrapping his arms around her tightly.

Dawn gripped his shoulders "I know. I'll miss you too."

Buffy knew that she wouldn't. She wouldn't be able to remember him. She would only know him in the future.

As Xander released her she turned to Willow who had joined them "I'm so glad I was able to meet Tara. You were always talking about her and I always wished I could meet her. I'll never forget her."

Willow wiped her eyes "I'm sure she's watching us right now." She hugged the younger girl "Be safe."

"I will." She said. She said her good byes to Giles and Anya then turned lastly to Buffy and Spike "I wish I could have told you sooner. But there was never an opportunity."

"I know. What with me being dead for a couple months then off in my own little world and all." Buffy looked into her eyes, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I was so hard on you."

Dawn shook her head "You were doing it for my own good. I know that. And I want to thank you for it. If it weren't for you being so hard on me I might be dead now."

Buffy smiled "Remember that." She wrapped Dawn in a tight hug. Even as the words escaped her lips she knew how absurd they sounded to her. She knew that she wouldn't remember them.

Dawn turned to Spike "You're so different. It's hard to believe that you're the same person I knew. But I'm glad I got to see this side of you. I think I understand you better now."

"It's good to know I eventually redeem myself." He said smirking, "I always knew there was a reason I felt the need to protect you. I knew it wasn't just because I was in love with Buffy. Every since the first time I saw you I was drawn to you. I didn't know why. But know I do." His voice cracked as he wrapped his arms around her tenderly "Take care Nibblet."

As they broke apart Dawn took a step backwards and looked at each of them. They were all so different from the people she knew. The people who they had become. The people they would become.

"Are you ready?" Giles asked, he held the book open in his hands.

She nodded "Yes. I'm ready."

"Step into the circle." Anya told her.

Dawn stepped into the circle of sand. Giles, Willow and, Anya each took a handful of the ingredients they'd missed and each stood two feet away from the circle on a different side.

Xander, Buffy and Spike stood back and watched as Giles read from the book. Half way through Willow and Anya joined in. Dawn took one last look at them all as the three of them in unison tossed the ingredients into the air in her direction.

The air crackled, a bright light flashed.

"She's gone." Xander said as the light faded.

"It worked." Willow said, "She's where she belongs now."

Buffy nodded as she leaned into Spike's side "I'm going to miss her."

Spike's lips turned up into a smile "We'll see her again soon." He wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

Buffy placed a hand on her stomach and smiled "I know. Funny how things work out sometimes."

The End


End file.
